December 25th, 2014

Spoiler:  I get the wishes in the title.

Me being me, my eyes flash open at 5:30 am and I’m permanently awake.  Sure there’s no stocking, no tree, no presents, only a small part of my family and friends to celebrate with, but it’s still christmas.  Did you expect me to sleep in?

After lounging around in bed thinking about the glories of travel tempered with the sadness of missing my father and friends I finally climb out of bed around 8 deciding to see what Otavalo is like on christmas morning.  To my surprise many shops and restaurants are already open and I find a tasty and economical breakfast at super Polo across the street.  Sitting beside their nicely decorated fake christmas tree is a pleasant surprise and helps to make it feel a little more like christmas morning.

I wander around town for a while and am thoroughly surprised by how like a normal day it seems.  Then I think back to the day before where 12 police officers rode around town in Santa Costumes waving to people and giving small gifts, their guns still very visible and I realize that while the method of celebrating may be different here.  Christmas is certainly a big deal.  If I need further proof I just think back to the day of my arrival where I saw a parade take place marking nativity, everyone, men and women alike wearing very poor arab costumes complete with fake beards.  It was charming,

I return back to the Flying Donkey, and like I do every christmas morning, try to wait until the time I’ve been told I’m allowed to wake my brother up. This time of course there are no stockings to be opened, no thanks to santa and our parents, but at least the internet’s good enough that we can call home.

After an hour on the phone with my dad, my brother and I head off towards Peguche falls.  My brother is braving a proudly earned hangover from a 5 dollar bottle of rum and a flu, but it’s a waterfall so I expect no less.  Peguche Falls is seen as a holy place to the locals and it’s free to enter, and very well amintained by the local people.

We grab a burger and fries each for 1.50 before heading out past the bus station before we turn to the right and find the train tracks.  Like any walk in the Andes, the surroundings are beautiful and my brother begins to hate me for the amount of pictures I take.  Still I think they’re worth it.  Thoughts in the comments?

Outside an amusement park

On the way to the falls

Mango Duo

Russell Called this baby ugly.

We leave the tracks behind at a sign for the falls and head up another manageable hill.  Before arriving at the parking lot we see lots of horses, cows, and hummingbirds.  The latter proves too elusive for a picture, the formers, well, not so much.

We turn into the entrance and realize that christmas might not have been the best day to visit as the entire natural park is crowded with locals. Russell is not feeling too well, the burger not sitting well but he soldiers on… As if I’d give him another choice.

We head up through the cobblestoned trails and pass a rather rambunctuous cow before stepping out to a truly incredible vista.  We stand on a bridge and Peguche falls crashes down before us, only the faintest remnants of mist from the 18 meter cascades reaching us.  More exciting thant the view itself though, is the prospect of getting some.  This always seems to be the case with waterfalls and me.  Seeing them is one thing, being inside of them quite another.  It doesn’t look like it’ll be easy, but I’m resolved.

Russell kindly agrees to stay with the bag as I go climb a rock for some great photos in front of the falls, but there’s too many waiting locals to do this so instead I wade into the thigh deep rushing waters and cross the river, trying to get as close as I can to the falls.  I reach the main pool but am too nervous to get into the falls themselves.  Still, I’m soaked and the mist is more in the form of pellets so close.  I can barely see as I edge myself up on to a small rock ledge and bask in the sounds and sights of perfection.  Why do I travel?  Honestly, waterfalls are one big reason.

On the way back I climb up onto the rock and Russell snaps some photos before I climb down and we switch roles.  He’s feeling much too sick to go exploring but he does make it up onto the rock for some cool pictures.  When he returns he muses on the difference between Colombia and Ecuador.  Here the locals insisted he go first, he maintains that would never happen in Colombia, though I’m not sure I agree.  He also mocks me on how slowly I move, though he just doesn’t understand.  I love waterfalls.  I do dangerous things around them.  But above all I respect them.  Slow and steady wins the race.

Peguche Falls

Together we climb up some steps to a lookout on the right of the fals.  Even up there it’s fairly crowded.  There is a cool tunnel I’d have to crawl to go through which leads out into the thigh deep river above the falls.  Russell is feeling too sick and I decide I’d rather get some more fun under the falls so I pass up the chance.  That said, we do disobey this ominous looking do not enter sign, for some great views right at the edge of the top of the falls.

Watching the water rush over the sheer drop fills me with excitement and builds my resolve.  This time I’ll find a way to do better.  This time I’ll get under that rushing water even if it kills me.

We climb down from the view point and Russell crosses the bridge climbing to another viewpoint halfway up the falls on the left.  I grab my go pro and the head mount and head “back into the breach”.  Waterfalls are sometimes like a battle, though I suspect infinitly more fun.

I edge my way back along my known path but this time don’t stop, clambering through the thigh deep water of the fringes of the main pool, fighting the indominable rush and gripping the moss covered, muddy rocks for support.  Much to my surprise and relief, the water doesn’t seem to get deeper as I inch closer to the main cascades.  Peguche may be only 18 meters or so high, but it runs with a mighty flow and as I slide myself under the tumbling white water I’m amazed at the force of them.  It hurts, almost beyond the pleasant hurt of a good waterfall.  I get as close to the center as I dare as I’m buffeted with sheets of forceful liquid.  Sadly the entire bottom  left side of the cascades is blocked from Russells view, and as I edge my way back out I decide I’ve got to cross the very fast moving channel and reach the bottom right of the falls.

I manage the crossing without major ncident and soon i’m back under the crushing flow of falling water, reveling in the incredible euphoria of it.  For me, there’s no feeling in the world like making yourself a part of a waterfall.  Being in it and smiling up at the crashing water.

Getting Some

Peguche Falls, Otavalo

A few ecuadorians have climbed over the main photo rock and delight in seeing me there, smiling and taking photos at the crazy gringo.  As I leave the falls behind I tread carefully, half for my own safety, and half to avoid the transformation from Crazy Gringo, to stupid gringo, who hurts himself doing something idiotic like climbing into a waterfall.  Here’sthe much awaited video.

On our way back to town we meet a friendly family from michigan with Ecuadorian roots and chat fantasy football and ecuador, before turning off at a sign that points to hot springs.  If they exist we don’t find them, instead finding an ankle deep pool of cold water.  Russell’s sadder than me, as my mind and soul are still back in that crashing water.

We head back to town the way we came and grab a magnum mint bar each on the way in.  Nothing like mint chocolate and ice cream to celebrate christmas.  Plus here their somewhat more affordable than Canada at 1.30 ech.  I also snap some photos of some really cool graffiti art.

amazing art outside Otavalo

We also encounter some kids making toys of what they have.  This abilty in children fascinates me and I do my best to emulate it throughout my life.  Of course, nothing can beat a waterfall, not even this tower of cement bricks.

We head back to the hotel and find Clara.  I relax for a little while, my legs still aching more from the volcano hike two days before than anything else.  Still after a short while I force myself up and wander through the market again, this time taking a few photos.  It’s almost 5 oclock so by this point people are packing up their wares.  I must say the Otovalan Market reminds me a lot of Asia, though without a lot of the edge.  The people are eager to bargain and sell, but there is a calmness to ecuador, found both here and Quito, that simply does not exist in Asia.  I don’t now which style I prefer honestly.

The road to the market

Some things are universal

Some sweets from the grocery store in my bag I head back to the Flying Donkey and Russell and Clara and I decide to try to find mexican food one more time.  After all what’s christmas without mexican food?  To get to Taco Bello we pass through the main swuare of town in all it´s resplendant beauty for the season.

The christmas spirit must be with us, as this time our first choice Taco Bello  is open and believe me when I say it tastes nothing like it’s american cousin with the similar name.

We eat too much, as is expected on christmas.  The food is tasty and pretty damn cheap for good foreign food.  5 dollars for a huge platter of chicken enchiladas with rice beans and guacamole.  The owner is also a real treat, super friendly and even willing to go out searching for alchohol so that clara and Russell can try his famed margaritas.  Unconventional though it may be it proves the perfect christmas dinner and we leave with our bellies full and smiles on our faces.

I don’t have muchenergy left and so shortly after returning to the hostel I head to bed, closing my eyes and returning to that heavenly place under the falls, water crashing down on me violently as I slowly drift off to sleep.  Another good christmas on the road, perhaps less unique and spectacular that last year at the taj mahal  but equally enjoyable.

I know it’s kind of late, but Merry Christmas Everybody.  And happy new year too!